Weft-fork mechanism.



.J." NOR-THROP.

WBPT FORK MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED 1110:.30, 1909.

973,126; Patefited0ct.-18,1910.

T" Illllllllll ll] THE NORRIS PETERS :0, WASHINGTON. n. c

UNIED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONAS NORTHROP, OF I-IOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR T0 WILLIAM F.DRAPER,

0F I-IOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS; CLARE H. DRAPER AND OLIVER I-I. LANEEXECU- TORS 0F SAID WILLIAM F. DRAIER, DECEASED.

WEFT-FORK MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoNAs NORTHROP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in WVeft-Fork Mechanisms, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

The invent-ion to be hereinafter described relates to looms and moreparticularly to the weft fork mechanism.

The aims and purposes of the invention are to provide a weft forkmechanism of simple construction which will act efficiently to set inoperation some auxiliary means or part when the weft or filling threadfails to be properly laid in the shed. In the present invention theauxiliary means or part adapted to be actuated by the said mechanism isillustrated as an arm connected to the transverse shaft for setting thefilling replenishing mechanism in operation to effeet a new supply offilling for the shuttle at desired times, as will be readily understoodby those skilled in the art; but, obviously the auxiliary means or partmay be any device which it is desired to operate when the filling failsto be properly laid, as, for instance, the loom stopping mechanism.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view showing an end portion of theloom frame, the lay, and the present invention associated therewith;Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the parts shown by Fig. 1, thetransverse shaft being omitted; and Fig. 3 is a like sectional viewshowing the parts in another posit-ion, one of the fixed side bars beingbroken away.

The loom frame for supporting the operative parts may be of any usual ordesired character provided with a breast beam 1 on the end portion ofwhich, or a part 2 projecting therefrom, is adjustably secured thebracket 3, Fig. 1, said bracket being preferably connected to thesupporting part by means of a bolt 4 passing through a slot 5 formed inthe bracket or supporting. arm 3.

Projecting forward from the end portion of the bracket 3 are the fixedside arms 6, 6, Fig. 1. Pivotally supported on a stud 7 connecting theouter ends of the fixed side Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 30, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Seria1 No. 515,152.

arms 6 is the weft fork 8, it being preferably formed as shown andcomprising a series of tines, as usual, and an upwardly extendingportion 9. The weft fork as regards its general construction aside fromits tail piece may be of any usual or desired form and be hung upon thesupporting stud 7 so that when free to swing, it will be maintained in asubstantially vertical position or as indicated by full lines in Figs. 2and 3, so that as the lay beats up, in a manner to be hereinafterexplained, the weft fork may be appropriately tilted as usual by thefilling laid in the shed by the shuttle. In order to limit the amplitudeof movement of the filling fork 8 on its pivotal support 7 the fixedside arms 6 have extending between them at one side of the filling forka stop 10, Figs. 2 and 3.

The lay 11 may be of usual construction and provided with a grid 12comprismg a series of arms extending upward from the lay, substantiallyin line with the reed and appropriately spaced apart, as indicated inFig. 1, to permit the passage between them of the fork tines. The laymay, at a point adjacent the grid 12, have its upper surface recessedtransversely as indicated at 13, Fig. 2, and the grid may beappropriately secured to the lay by suitable means, such as screws,bolts, or the like, which being well understood by those skilled in theart need no further explanation.

From the construction thus far described it will be noted that the weft.fork regardless of its construction is pivotally supported at the outerends of the fixed side arms, and in case a filling is properly laid inthe shed, said weft fork may be tilted by such filling 14, Fig. 2, asthe lay beats up. If, however, the shuttle fails to properly lay thefilling, either by the filling in the shuttle having become exhausted orhaving been broken, the tines of the weft fork will pass between thearms of the grid 12 and the weft fork remain untilted, as will bereadily' understood.

Extending transversely of the loom is the transverse shaft 15, Fig. 1,held to rock in suitable bearings 16, as usual, and projecting upwardfrom the transverse shaft is an arm 17 Figs. 2 and 3, to which ispivotally connected at 18 the actuator 19. The actuator 19 is of suchlength and general form as that when the arm 17 on the transverse shaft16 is in normal position with the loom running under normal conditions,the end portion 20 thereof will be in position to contact with the upperportion of the weft fork 9, in case the weft fork fails to be tiltedwhen the said actuator drops from the position indicated in Fig. 2 tothat of Fig. 3. The end portion 20 of the actuator is preferablyrecessed or shouldered as at 21, though this may be otherwise. Theactuator 19 has a toe portion 22 between which and a socket portion 23in the arm 17 is disposed a spring 24: acting normally to depress thefree end 20 of said actuator. Between its pivotal connection with thearm 17 and its free end 20 the actuator 19 is provided with a finger 25adapted to be en gaged by the head 26 of the weft hammer 2 in case theactuator 19 is positioned for such engagement, as will hereinafter morefully appear. Above the finger 25, the actuator 19 is preferably curvedat at or formed as indicated in Fig. 2, to provide an opening or recess28 into which the head 26 of the weft hammer may enter, in case theactuator 19 is permitted to drop sufficiently for that purpose, the head26 of the weft hammer 27 being recessed at 29 to form a passageway forthe finger 25 under the conditions above noted.

Extending between the fixed side arms are the bridge pieces 30 and 31which may serve to brace the side pieces, and the bridge piece 30 mayserve to support the actuator 19 when it is allowed to drop by the weftfork, Fig. 3.

The head 26 of the weft hammer is provided with an inclined engagingportion 32 which, as the weft hammer moves to the left, Fig. 2, isadapted to' engage the inclined surface 33 formed, preferably, by adovetailed recess in the end of the finger 25, the construction beingsuch that as the end of the weft hammer moves into engagement with theinclined surface 33 of the finger 25, it will lift the actuator 19slightly so as to raise the end 20 thereof from the portion 9 of theweft hammer. The head 26 of the weft hammer and the curved portion ofthe actuator 19 are so formed and related that as the weft hammer movesto the right awa from the finger 25, Fig. 2, the head 26 of the wefthammer will engage the curved portion 34 of the actuator, thereby liftinthe end 20 again, the construction being suc that when the weft hammeris to the right, as in Fig. 2, it will support the end of the actuatorfree from the portion 9 of the weft fork, and, as it moves to the left,the head of the weft hammer 26 will move over the curved portion 34 ofthe actuator and permit the end 20 thereof to drop before the engagmgportion of the weft hammer contacts with the finger 25, the constructionbeing such so that should the shuttle fail to lay filling on theindicating pick, the weft fork would not be tilted as the lay beats up,and, as the weft hammer moves to the left, the end of the actuator 19would contact with the portion 9 of the weft fork until the inclinedportion 32 of the weft hammer ongages the inclined surface 33 of thefinger 25, whereupon the actuator would again be raised out of contactwith the portion 9 of the weft fork, and the actuator itself be moved tothe left to actuate the transverse shaft 15 or other part to beoperated.

Obviously, various changes may be made in the general disposition andform or character of the parts without departing from the spirit of thepresent invention, which is definitely set forth by the claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a weft fork,fixed supports by which the weft fork is pivotally sustained, anactuator controlled as to its operative or inoperative condition by saidfixedly supported weft fork, and means for moving the actuator only whenplaced in operative position by the weft fork.

2. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a weft fork,fixed supports by which the weft fork is pivotally sustained, anactuator independent of and controlled as to its operative orinoperative condition by said weft fork, and means for moving theactuator when placed in operative position by the weft fork, said meansacting to relieve the actuator from weft fork control prior to saidmovement.

3. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a weft forkhaving an upwardly extending tail piece, fixed sup ports by which saidweft fork is pivotally sustained, an arm, an actuator for operating saidarm and adapted to be su Jported in operative position by the upwar lyextending tail piece when the weft fork fails to be tilted, and meansfor moving the actuator independent of the weft fork to operate saidarm.

4. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a weft fork,fixed supports by which said weft fork is pivotally sustained, an arm,an actuator movable independent of the weft fork for operating said armand adapted to be supported in operative position when the weft forkfails to be tilted, and means for lifting the actuator from itssupported position and moving the actuator to operate said arm.

5. In a weft fork mechanism, the combination of a pivotally mounted weftfork provided with an upwardly extending tail piece, an actuator adaptedto be sustained by said tail piece of the weft fork when the weft forkfails to be tilted and to fall when the weft fork is tilted, and meansto move the actuator when the said tail piece sustains the actuator.

(S. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a pivotallymounted weft fork, fixed supports for said weft fork, an actuatorcontrolled as to its operative and inoperative position by the said weftfork, and a weft hammer having a portion to engage and move the actuatorindependent of weft fork movement.

7. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a pivotallymounted weft fork, fixed supports for said weft fork, an actuator havinga finger and controlled as to its operative and inoperative position bythe said weft fork, and a weft hammer having a portion to lift theactuator and by engagement with said finger to move the actuatorindependent of weft fork movement.

8. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a weft fork,fixed supports for said weft fork, an actuator having a finger providedwith an inclined portion and controlled as to its operative andinoperative condition by said weft fork, and a weft hammer having a headto engage the inclined portion of the finger and then move the actuatorindependentof weft fork movement.

9. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a weft fork,fixed supports for said weft fork, an actuator, and a weft hammer havingrelatively inclined portions to lift the actuator clear of the weft forkas the hammer moves in one direction and having engaging portions tomove the actuator with the hammer as the latter moves in the oppositedirection.

10. In a weft fork mechanism for looms, the combination of a weft fork,fixed supports for said weft fork, an actuator and arm operated thereby,and a weft hammer, said weft hammer and actuator having relativelyinclined portions to lift the actuator from the weft fork to free thelatter, said weft hammer being adapted to move the actuator with it asit moves 1n one direction. 11. In a weft fork mechanlsm for looms,

the combination of a weft fork, fixed supports for said Weft fork, anactuator having afinger and a recess, and a weft hammer having a headadapted to engage the finger to move the actuator when the weft forkfails to be tilted and to pass into the recess to permit the actuator toremain at rest when the weft fork is tilted.

12. A weft fork mechanism for looms comprising fixed side arms, a weftfork pivotally mounted thereon, an actuator adapted to be sustained bythe weft fork when filling is improperly absent and to be permitted todrop when filling is properly laid, an arm operated by the actuator, anda weft hammer adapted to engage the actuator and move the arm when theactuator is sustained by the weft fork,

13. A weft fork mechanism for loom, comprising fixed supporting arms, aweft fork pivotally mounted on said fixed supporting arms and having anupwardly extending.

tail piece, an actuator adapted to be sustained in operative positionwhen filling is improperly absent and to drop into inoperative positionwhen fillingis properly laid, and'a Weft hammer for moving the actuatorwhen it is in operative position.

14. A weft fork mechanism for loom, comprising fixed supporting arms, aWeft fork pivotally mounted on said fixed supporting arms and having anupwardly extending tail piece, an actuator adapted to be sustained inoperative position when filling is im' properly absent and to drop intoinoperative position when filling is properly laid, a weft hammer formoving the actuator when it is in operative position, and a stop tolimit the movement of the weft fork in a direction opposite thatproduced by the filling when properly laid.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J ONAS- NORTHROP.

Witnesses:

EVERETT S. 7001), OLIVER II. LANE.

